for Flight certification, they became the third F/A-18E squadron in the U.S. Navy. In April 2004, Commander, Naval Air Force, U.S. Pacific Fleet awarded the Battle “E” for calendar year 2003. Subsequently, Commander, Naval Air Force awarded the 2003 Captain Michael J. Estocin Award for exceptional operational performance and flight safety. VFA-137 embarked aboard for a Western Pacific deployment in October 2004, participating in Operation Unified Assistance, the humanitarian relief effort to aid the victims of the tsunami that struck Southeast Asia. In March 2006, the squadron again deployed with CVW 2 aboard USS Abraham Lincoln for a 5-month WestPac. The deployment included port calls in Hong Kong, Thailand, Singapore and Sasebo, Japan, and was marked by participation in Exercises Foal Eagle, Valiant Shield, and RIMPAC. Between March 24–31, 2006, during Foal Eagle 2006 exercises, strike squadrons VFA-2, VFA-34, VFA-137, and VFA-151 from CVW-2 teamed with U.S. Air Force aircraft from the 18th Wing based at Kadena Air Base to provide combat air patrols and coordinated bombing runs via the exercise's Combined Air Operations Center. VFA-137 returned from deployment in August 2006. After a work-up cycle that included 2 detachments to NAS Fallon and 3 underway periods on board USS Abraham Lincoln, VFA-137 deployed to the western Pacific on USS Abraham Lincoln in March 2008. Following 7 months at sea, including 5 months in the Persian Gulf supporting Operations Iraqi Freedom and Enduring Freedom, the squadron returned home in October 2008. On March 15, 2010, two VFA-137 aircraft were involved in a mid-air collision while training at NAS Fallon. Both pilots survived with one managing to land his plane, while the other pilot ejected and was rescued by helicopter. An investigation determined that pilot error was to blame for the collision. The responsible pilot's name was redacted from the report released to the public. In 2019, the squadron was transferred to Carrier Air Wing 17 thus swapping with VFA-113. See also List of inactive United States Navy aircraft squadrons List of United States Navy aircraft squadrons Modern United States Navy carrier air operations Naval aviation References External links VFA-137's Official Webpage Strike fighter squadrons of the United States Navy